Overall

ALPHA & OMEGA

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the
Last, the Beginning and the End"-Revelations 22:13

Hallelu et Adonai

"People praising God from all around the world. The words in Hebrew Hallelu (Praise unto) Adonai (God)"

After coming to the University of Minnesota-Morris (UMM-Morris, Minnesota-U.S.A.). I (Sal)never imagined that I'll be meeting folks from different parts of the world. This small college town community (pop. est 5,100+ as of 2000 census) provides that intimate enivronment to build close- strong friendships with many people (if you choose to do so), which I have and continue to do so after graduating from UMM in 1999.

Racial/Ethnic Groups

"Where Did the Races Come From? Did God create all the people groups we see today? Part 1 of 3 "Answers with Ken Ham" Log on to www.answersingenesis.org for many more Creation videos. (keywords: bible evolution creation darwin races noah flood white black asian african american bibleortraditions) "The Bible Explains the Races - Part 2 of 3, from youtube.com"Where Did the Races Come From? Did God create all the people groups we see today? Part 2 of 3 "Answers with Ken Ham".."The Bible Explains the Races - Part 3 of 3, from youtube.com"Where Did the Races Come From? Did God create all the people groups we see today? Part 3 of 3 "
*see GoodnewsEverybody: Issues-RacismIn the Bible, how many human races are mentioned?, from answers.yahoo.com"According to the Bible, all humans descend from Noah, through his three sons Shem, Japheth and Ham. Genesis chapter 10 lists 70 descendants of Noah saying: “From these the nations were spread about in the earth.” (Genesis 10:32) One of the many ways in which these nations have been classified is with reference to skin color. In the skin of all normal humans is a blackish brown pigment called melanin.
Noah and his three sons all had a measure of this dark pigment. From Shem came the Babylonians, the Assyrians, the Jews and the Arabs who vary from fair to light-brown skin. The descendants of Japheth, who include the Indo-European races, vary from light skin to dark brown. As for Ham (meaning swarthy or sun-burnt), some, but not all, of his descendants had dark skin. The Egyptians, with light-brown skin, descended from Ham’s son Mizraim. Ham’s son Canaan, who was cursed by God because of bad conduct, was the forefather of the light-skinned Canaanites."-ridim

"...And there's a hint of mythology here, too, Rose pointed out. "Nearly every civilization living in southern Mesopotamia has told some form of the flood myth. While the names might change, the content and structure are consistent from 2,500 B.C. to the Genesis account to the Qur'anic version," Rose said. ..

"Native global flood stories are documented as history or legend in almost every region on earth. Old world missionaries reported their amazement at finding remote tribes already possessing legends with tremendous similarities to the Bible's accounts of the worldwide flood. H.S. Bellamy in Moons, Myths and Men estimates that altogether there are over 500 Flood legends worldwide. Ancient civilizations such as (China, Babylonia, Wales, Russia, India, America, Hawaii, Scandinavia, Sumatra, Peru, and Polynesia) all have their own versions of a giant flood...."

>"The stories below are flood stories from the world's folklore. I have included stories here if (1) they are stories; (2) they are folklore, not historical accounts or fiction by a known author; and (3) they involve a flood. In most borderline cases, I included the story here anyway. For example, one story (Hopi) tells of a flood which was avoided and never occurred..."

"The Notions of the Chinese Concerning God and Spirits, Hong Kong Register Office, 1852, p. 28. Could it be that all people of the world, including the Chinese, are descendants of Babel, the first
great civilization after the Flood? Could it be that the Chinese understood the nature of God consistent with Yahweh of the Hebrews? Why do so many ancient records reveal that pagan leaders acknowledged the one, true God of Heaven? Abimelech of the Philistines
(Genesis 21:22); Pharaoh of the Egyptians (Genesis 41:38-39); Balaam of the Mesopotamians (Numbers 22:38); Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonians (Daniel 4:37); Artaxerxes of the Persians (Ezra 7:23) Could it be? Check out http://www.RandallNiles.com and http://www.AllAboutGOD.com
for more!"Txoj Dab Neeg Kawb (Myth of End) pt 1, from youtube.com"Similiar to Noah's Ark,"Txoj Dab Neeg Kawg" (The Myth of End) is an animation set in the old world before the great flood . Two villagers,Yer and Ker, are chosen to be saved and create a world anew with the help of the shaman Chong SeeYee. With supernatural monsters on their tail, the trio must face death defying moments all in a race against time. This photoshop animation explores the life history of the Hmong people, and allows Hmong individuals to realize where they stand. "
MIDDLE EAST
Archaeology and Genesis part II

NORTH AMERICAGreat Serpent and the Great Flood, firstpeople.us"...The Indians caught up their children and found safety on the mountains. Nanabozho continued his flight along the base of the western hills and then up a high mountain beyond Lake Superior, far to the north. There he found many men and animals that had escaped from the flood that was already covering the valleys and plains and even the highest hills. Still the waters continued to rise. Soon all the mountains were under the flood, except the high one on which stood Nanabozho..."
SOUTH AMERICAIncan Legends of the Great Flood
Excerpted from "The Wayward Sun" by Rand and Rose Flam-Ath labyrinthina.com"..The people of South America tell myths of a Great Flood and the events surrounding it. The Ipurinas of northwestern Brazil retain one of the most elegant myths about the time of the disaster: "long ago the Earth was overwhelmed by a hot flood. This took place when the sun, a cauldron of boiling water, tipped over." Further south, the native people of Chile, the Araucanians, recount a traumatic memory: "The Flood was the result of a volcanic eruption accompanied by a violent earthquake, and whenever there is an earthquake the natives rush to the high mountains. They are afraid that after the earthquake the sea may again drown the world."
..."

"ONE." by Peter Liam Holcross, from Godtube.com"...And in John 17, Jesus prayed that His followers would be one in Him, and in the Father, in PERFECT UNITY..."

This is my (Sal) favorite weblinked to UMMAlpha's Homepage because "multicultural" is something that we can all relate. We live in a time in America where many of us young generation come from a mulicultured background (e.g. dad may be African American and mom may be Caucasian American). However, we can't really label ourselves just one race or two because we have ancestors from more than one race.

For example, my parents are from the Philippines, but my great grandparents in my father side is from Spain-European. I can be consider Asian-European American. When I was growing-up in St. Paul, I didn't really thought much about people ethnic-cultural background. I just look at everybody as the same!

I don't want to make your mind boggle because mine is already as I'm writing this. My main reason for writing this is to share my personal testimony on how God revealed my true identity in Christ, which I'm now part of a bigger family/group-family in Christ (no matter what race, ethnicity, or anytype of background)!

Local: UMM-Morris Cultural Share

Some multicultural experiences so far in this area is having the opportunity to come share my Filipino culture in the nearby elementary schools. During college, the local Morris Area Elementary Schools had a Cultural Awarenss Day, where local adults share their specific cultural ethnic backgrounds. I shared some basic facts on the Philippines to some different grade levels. It was an awesome learning opportunity for both of us-presenters and the presentee. There was one time I was invited by a friend of mine temporarily teaching (teachers aid for his Ed. Major) at a small town north of Alexandria-Militona, MN. They had many types of questions from-do you have houses, is there a McDonalds there, etc... I had a chance to show-up my breakdancing moves and a movie-video from the Philippines. After this experience, I've learned to share as much of my culture instead of complaining what people don't know about "me" or "cultural backgrounds" overall around rural west-central Minnesota.

"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."-John 17:23

My favorite christian multicultural events are the Heart of the City events they have all over the Twin Cities area. It's an opportunity where brothers and sisters in Christ can get together after the "most segregated hour of the week", which is church on Sundays (@10am) where different racial groups get together in their own churches-a popular saying by Martin Luther King Jr.

Summer Picnic
Main Stage in 1999, where different groups performed

Nation Experience

I had the privilege visiting Martin Luther King Jr.'s Museum-King Center (and other related sites) in Atlanta, GA for an African-American Student Conference called-Impact 2000 (every other year event for African-American christians and others from different college campuses across the nation). After learning so much about him on the books growing-up, it was an awesome experience to see "live" what this infamous "world changer" from the Civil Rights Movement did through this museum. This was during one of the breaks of this once-a-lifetime conference for me.

Below are some resources on "multiculturalism", which I've grown to learn a lot more since attending UMM through many activities I participated (eg. Gateway 98', RA at Clayton A. Gay Hall, and many other numerous student activities).

"By Ruth Hamberg '09 -- The 36th annual World Touch Cultural Heritage Week (WTCH week) will offer a tour through a diversity of cultures, presented by way of fashion, writing, song, humor, food and more. The public is welcome to attend these events, which will be held on campus Monday through Saturday, March 23-28.
The theme of this year's event, "Diversity Is Yours To Discover," is an invitation to investigate the diversity that surrounds us. In planning the logo, student designer Katie Froiland “immediately thought of a magnifying glass” (shown below). During WTCH Week, speakers, entertainers, students and community members unite around the goal of recognizing and celebrating diversity. “I think that World Touch Cultural Heritage Week is not only a learning experience but also a way to bring everyone together,” said Froiland, a junior who’s majoring in computer science.
"World Touch Cultural Heritage Week was my introduction to the campus last year, when I started my job here," added Hilda Ladner, assistant to the chancellor for equity and diversity and director of the Multi-Ethnic Student Program at Morris. "I remain completely impressed by the quality and quantity of events and by the campus commitment to this long-standing week of cultural celebration and education. World Touch Cultural Heritage Week, now in its 36th year, demonstrates our strong tradition of valuing diversity at UMM."
"Global Fashion Rocks the Runway" will open the festivities on Monday, March 23, at 7 p.m. in Oyate Hall. There will be a display of traditional and contemporary fashion, as well as a design competition sponsored by Fashion Cents, a downtown Morris business. Entertainment will include a belly dance act, a tribute to late fashion icon and songstress Selena, and D.J. Snuggles with Adonis Frasier and Toki Wright from Minneapolis hip-hop group The C.O.R.E. Admission is $3.
Sandra Benitez, bi-lingual author and motivational speaker, will deliver the keynote address, “The Saving Grace of Stories,” on Tuesday, March 24, at 11:30 a.m. in Edson Auditorium. Benitez is the author of four novels. In 2004, she received the National Hispanic Heritage Award for literature at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Also in 2004, Hispanic Business Magazine named her one of 100 Influential Hispanics in the U.S. In the address, she will share the story of how she started to write at the age of 39 and affirm that we are never too late to begin doing what we have passion for. A question and answer session, along with a book sale and signing, will follow the presentation. This event is co-sponsored by United Latinos.
All are invited to participate in the 25th annual Circle of Nations Indian Association (CNIA) 3K Peace Run beginning at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 25.The run will begin on Cougar Circle in front of the Multi-Ethnic Resource Center. Registration fee is $7 and includes a shirt as long as supply lasts.
Also on Wednesday, John Trudell (Santee Sioux) will be in Edson Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Trudell is an acclaimed poet, national recording artist, actor and activist whose international following reflects the univeral language of his words, work and message. He was a spokesperson for the Indians of All Tribes occupation of Alcatraz Island from 1969 to 1971 and served as chairman of the American Indian Movement (AIM) from 1973 to 1979. In 1982, Trudell began recording his poetry to traditional Native music and in 1983 released his debut album, “Tribal Voice,” on his own Peace Company label. Trudell has also played roles in a number of feature films, including a major part in Sherman Alexie's "Smoke Signals." This event is co-sponsored by CNIA.
Stand-up comedian Eliot Chang will perform a one-hour comedy show at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 26, in Edson Auditorium, followed by a diversity question and answer workshop, titled "Asians in the Media." Chang is featured on Comedy Central's Hotlist 2009 he attended medical school and worked as a Wall Street stockbroker before breaking into comedy. TV appearances include Comedy Central's "Premium Blend," MTV's "FN MTV," and NBC's "Law & Order SVU." This event is co-sponsored by the Asian Student Association.
United Latinos will co-sponsor the annual invitational World Touch Cultural Heritage Week Closing Dinner at 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 27, in Oyate Hall. Graduates of the Multi-Ethnic Student Program will be honored.
The West African drum group Hayor Bibimma will perform in Edson Auditorium on Friday, March 27, at 7 p.m. The Twin Cities-based group is directed by renowned drummer and dancer Francis Kofi, a dancer and master drummer with the Ghana Dance ensemble for many years, originally based at the University of Ghana. Since then, he has dedicated himself to bringing cultural awareness to local communities through drumming and dance workshops, classes, and performance. This event is co-sponsored by Black Student Union.
The 25th Annual CNIA Powwow brings the week to a close on Saturday, March 28. The Powwow will be held in the P.E. Center gymnasium with grand entries at noon and 7 p.m.
Photo: Sandra Benitez""Gospel Explosion 99'"

""Several God-gifted singers were guests at this campus-community church ministry sponsored "unity" (breaking down walls of division amongst church denominations and racial lines) event. They sing "Oh, Holy Night", "Silent Night", "O Come Let us Adore Him", etc. as a prelude to this first annual (one of two) campus-commUnity multicultural celebration for Jesus. This was held in the spring of 1999 at the Campus Mall of the University of Minnesota-Morris. It was spear-headed by the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and Alpha & Omega...
*see more Pictures...

"In the Fall of 1999, IVCF hosted (with support by Alpha & Omega) a speaker from Northwestern College (St. Paul, MN)-Dr. Young. He shares a message that some Christians at the campus felt the need for "unity" amongst cross-cultures from our multi-ethnic diverse college campus (University of Minnesota Morris)"
Separate But Equal is NOT Biblical Message by Dr. Young Part II

Separate But Equal is NOT Biblical Message by Dr. Young Part III

*see Kenneth N. Young, D.Min.
Director of Racial and Ethnic Diversity
D.Min., Westminster Theological Seminary (PA);
M.Div., Biblical Theological Seminary;
B.S., East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
-Message"11When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? "-Galatians 2
Peter's Vision"9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean...."
Peter at Cornelius' House..But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?""-Acts 10

"It’s not easy being a kid. It’s even harder when you look different than all the other kids.
"I always had a sense that I was different,” said Devika Mohabir, a 1995 graduate of Jefferson High School in Alexandria. “There were maybe five other kids with darker skin, and they were adopted."
Devika and her siblings, Shari and Steven, are of East Indian descent on their father’s side. After a divorce, Katy Mohabir, who was born and raised in Minnesota, raised her three beautiful, dark-skinned, black-haired children in Alexandria, where their skin color wasn’t the norm.
“That was before there were a lot of minorities,” Katy said. “People would come up to me and assume that they were adopted.”
The family wasn’t immune to an occasional glimpse of prejudice.
“Alexandria is a great community,” said Katy, who recently retired from her job as coordinator of the Runestone Regional Learning Center in Alexandria. “There could be 1,000 wonderful, kind people. And then there could be that one that wasn’t. People who knew us were very accepting. The bad stuff came from people who didn’t know who we were.”
“Once in awhile weird random things would happen,” Steven agreed, recalling a couple times he was singled out as a potential troublemaker when he was with a group of friends.
There were a few isolated incidents in which the Mohabirs were the targets of racism. One time, an elderly neighbor, who assumed the children were African American, called Katy and told her she should “go back to Africa where she belonged.”
And Devika recalls an anonymous phone call in which the caller said, “We don’t want any black people in our town.”
“It was very brief and abrupt, but shocking at the same time,” Devika said.
“It blindsides me when I come against someone who is hateful because I don’t expect it,” Katy agreed.
A specific incident is prominent in the memory of both Katy and Steven. At age 10, Steven had his first experience with prejudice that he can remember when he joined a local boys’ club.
“I got really picked on there,” he said, adding that it caused him to quit the organization after a month. “It was racial slurs all over the place from the kids. That was probably my worst experience as a kid.”
For Devika, it was always more of just a feeling. “I always felt an undertone of something strange, it wasn’t overt,” she said.
“It was a part of growing up here and having to learn to deal with that stuff,” Katy said.
The Mohabir kids were lucky. They had lots of friends growing up in Alexandria. They did well in school. They were well liked. Their friends’ parents were “fantastic.” For the most part, life in small-town Alexandria was filled with positive experiences and they were shown only acceptance and friendship.
And they all agree – it was the people who didn’t know them who were the most judgmental.
“At no time did I feel isolated by anyone other than people who didn’t know me,” Steven said.
Despite the few unfortunate incidents she and her children experienced, Katy is quick to point out that this was a wonderful community to raise her children. And because of their heritage, she feels that her children had the best of both worlds.
“They have the roots of Alexandria, they were part of a church community, a smaller school system, things that I valued,” she explained. “But they’ve stretched further. They’ve been exposed to their Hindu heritage. They have this wonderful richness from both cultures.”
Katy’s passion for teaching people acceptance has carried not only through her family, but her career. In her position with the Runestone Learning Center, she worked with many minority students, and she taught English as a second language to immigrants.
She also belongs to the Diversity Resource Action Alliance in Alexandria, whose message she thinks is so important, especially as Alexandria becomes home for an increasing number of minorities.
“We’ve been working so hard to have Alexandria be a more welcoming community to all diverse issues – gender, disabilities, whatever,” she said.
“This is a great place to raise kids,” she concluded. “It’s just that there are exceptions. And we can’t assume that everyone is open-minded. The majority are, but not everyone is and there will be incidents.
“Unfortunately, some people still think it’s OK to hate someone based on the color of their skin.”
Teaching ethnic diversity to kids
The following tips were provided by the Diversity Resource Action Alliance, a community organization committed to strengthening the understanding and appreciation of diversity.
The tips focus on teaching your children about ethnic diversity.
• Visit Web sites with your children that promote tolerance and understanding of other cultures, such as www.tolerance.org.
• Eat at ethnic restaurants and frequent ethnic-owned businesses and get to know the proprietors.
• Let your children know that it is OK to be curious about race and ethnicity. Explain that people come in many shades.
• Explain what friendship is and what it means through illustrations.
• Read books on other cultures to your children.
• Mirror tolerance of others to your children.
• Help your child develop new relationships by inviting a family with a different background over for supper.
• Enroll your children in after-school programs and camps that celebrate differences.
• Getting kids involved in the arts is a good way to expose them to people from different backgrounds and see that we all share strengths and talents.
• Volunteer experiences are also a good way to help kids understand the value of everyone."

".. is the classic simulation game on cultural clashes. Participants experience the shock of realizing that despite their good intentions and the many similarities amongst themselves, people interpret things differently from one another in profound ways, especially people from differing cultures. Players learn that they must understand and reconcile these differences if they want to function effectively in a cross-cultural group. New features and enhancements include:
..
*playing this for International Student Orientation
Related Sites:
Wisconsin Retreat 2007

*see 3:25Barnga Barnga Game Scout Game, from boyscouttrail.com"Real Goal
The goal is to raise awareness of cultural differences, especially when people move from one culture to another.
Everyone will be playing the same game except that each group has just slightly different rules. When a player moves to a new group, unable to communicate, he will run into obstacles in winning a trick.
When someone joins a new group, or moves to a new home, the rules in that new place are similar to what he is used to but with some important differences which he must figure out.
When someone joins our group, club, circle of friends, neighborhood, we should be flexible and supportive when he doesn't quite "get it" how we do things here...

"USA (MNN) ― Mission Network News may help increase your cultural awareness, but imagine what a full day seminar would do.
On September 13, you have the opportunity to go deeper into Cultural Intelligence than perhaps you have in the past. Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan is hosting a Cultural Intelligence seminar that will test your ‘CQ' and teach you all you need to know about Cultural Intelligence within ministry.
The seminar is hosted by Grand Rapids Theological Seminary's David Livermore, who wrote Cultural Intelligence and Leading with Cultural Intelligence, addressing the issue. Leaders will be taught how to assess and improve Cultural Intelligence. This is ideal for church leaders, mission teams, educators, counselors, CEOs, non-profit organization managers and anyone else who wishes to improve in this area.
Registration costs vary, based on the number of people signing up from a group and the time you sign up. Students can receive a special discount. If you're interested, sign up soon. Early bird registration ends tomorrow.
If you feel you need more information about this seminar before you sign up, click here or call Grand Rapids Theological Seminary at 1-800-687-1133.
"

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (ANS) -- "On what is believe to be the most segregated day of the week, local churches throughout the country broke down barriers to join in commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
A story by Audrey Barrick and appearing in the Christian Post reported that Bill Hybels' predominantly white Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., and James Meeks' largely black Salem Baptist Church in Chicago � two of the Chicago area�s biggest evangelical churches � held joint services on Sunday, encouraging the mingling of races through worship.
The Christian Post reported Meeks told the local Daily Herald that having the largest white and black congregations in the state come together will �show the world what Christianity truly looks like.�
The weekend program was highlighted by critical discussions � titled �Can We All Get Along?� � and question-and-answer sessions about racism in America.
People tend to do stuff with who they know,� the Christian Post reported Meeks told the Chicago Tribune. �They worship with people they know. We have to get to know each other better.�
Both megachurch pastors, who the Christian Post reported are friends, said the fight for civil rights is far from over. And across the country, many Americans, who are marking MLK Day on Monday, agreed.
�We've come a long way, but we still have a long to go,� the Christian Post reported former Sen. Harris Wofford (D-PA.), told Newsday.
In continuing the fight, the Christian Post said thousands have chosen not to celebrate the day as a holiday, but to participate in service and action.
�If Dr. King came back today, I think he would not be happy to see it as a day off rather than a day of action,� the Christian Post reported Wofford said.
Christians are taking action in educating communities about the Civil Rights Movement and instilling a greater understanding of racial injustice.
At Willow Creek, the Christian Post reported that according to the Daily Herald, Meeks told the diverse congregations about being a victim of racial profiling. He was pulled over more than two years ago by a white policeman and verbally abused in his own neighborhood.
Noting that there is a huge disparity in local taxes that fund the education of black students compared to white students, the Christian Post reported Hybels acknowledged that the playing field is still not level.
He encouraged church members to take the lead in the ongoing civil rights movement.
�As Christians, we should be the first to reach across racial lines,� the Christian Post reported Hybels said. "

" 1 Praise the LORD, all you nations;
extol him, all you peoples.
2 For great is his love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD. [a]"-Psalm 117

"Hideo Nomo and Tim Lincecum(notes) might have two of the most unusual deliveries in baseball history, but they don't have anything on this Cirque du Soleil performer. Watch below as he flips and twists with flair before delivering the first pitch at Monday's game between the San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals at Petco Park:
I'm sure there will be a lot of unimpressed chuckleheads down in the comments that will either pooh-pooh the actual pitch or — heh — claim that he's just a product of Petco Park's spacious environs.
But take a second to think about what the guy actually did there. He performed a difficult acrobatic maneuver on the uneven ground of a mound, then landed safely and, without missing a beat, fired a pitch for a strike. Didn't bounce it low. Didn't sail it high. All on the first try.
I don't know about you, but it'd take me at least a few dozen tries — and probably a couple of trips to the hospital — to pull that move off.

"
As guests of the San Diego Padres, a team of 10 artists from Cirque du Soleil took to the field to wow the crowd with their slick tricks.
But it was Gabryel Nogueira da Silva who stole the show when he was offered the honour of doing the ceremonial first pitch.
Stepping up to the mound in a flamboyant mask and tights, Silva eyed up the catcher and set himself as if to throw with his left arm.
However, this was to be no ordinary pitch as he leapt into the air and spun around like a martial arts expert.
Once his feet touched the ground the pitch was made all the more impressive by the fact it was directly over the home plate - a picture-perfect start to the match.
Commentators were left stunned by the move and naturally, after a quick bow, the crowd gave him an appreciative clap for the worthy effort. ..

"This Is A Picture Video Of Every Single Country In The World - This Took 4+ Hours To Make Please Comment/Rate/Favourite It PLEASE - I Did This So People Can See What The Other Countrys Across The World Look Like. I Thought It Would Be Nice For My Self Also As I Didnt Know Half Of These Existed! - Enjoy. Pass On. - Made By Jordan James
This Video Was Featured On The Yahoo 9 :D On Tuesday 5th September 2006 - http://9.yahoo.com/2006/09/05/ - Thanks Yahoo (more) (less)

"5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians (see Iran Chamber Society: "..Iran, Iraq and Armenia, parts of Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, and -for brief periods- territories in Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine."), Medes (see Britannica: "..Indo-European people, related to the Persians.), and Elamites (see Wikipedia: ..an ancient civilization located in what is now southwest Iran."); residents of Mesopotamia (see Wikipedia: "..is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern Iraq[2], northeastern Syria,[2] southeastern Turkey,[2] and the Khūzestān Province of southwestern Iran"), Judea (see zionism-israel: "... area that roughly corresponds to a part of that kingdom, part of which is in the southern part of the West Bank of the Jordan, including Hebron and Jericho.") and Cappadocia (Turkey), Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"-Acts 2

"Here are a few of many Biblical texts that favor multiculturism.
* Psalm 133:1. The good of dwelling together in unity....
# Acts 2:5-11 lists fifteen ethnic groups present at the Pentecost event. The very first church gathering was multicultural
# Acts 10:34 After God sends a powerful vision to Peter to correct his racism and encourage outreach to the Gentiles, Peter proclaims that he now sees that God is no respecter of persons, or shows no favoritism.
# Galatians 3:28. "Your are all one in Christ Jesus."
-Education

"DALLAS, TX (ANS) -- A team of geneticists recently analyzed 6,529 individual genomes, representing 107 different human populations.1 They found genetic traces of African ancestry in various people groups and estimated the timing of the ancient African/non-African intermarriages. The results of their analysis of Jewish populations will come as no surprise to those who believe in the literal history of Genesis. Despite their extensive statistical analyses of reams of genetic data, the researchers relied on traditional historical sources to anchor their results to actual time. And along the way, what the authors termed a “striking finding” would actually have been anticipated by a more biblically literate investigation.
The team, led by researchers from Harvard Medical School, compared differences in DNA sequences between the individuals and processed the data with several focused analyses. For example, one algorithm called the 3 Population Test compared three populations at a time to detect whether or not one of them was ancestral to the other two.
The study results published in the online journal PLoS Genetics included the virtual absence of evidence for African genetic mixing among Northern Europeans. This makes sense, given their geographic distance. However, Southern Europeans appeared to have experienced a measure of mixing with Africans 55 generations ago, equivalent to approximately 1,600 years, assuming a generation time of 29 years and a constant mutation rate.2
But for all their ingenuity and labor, the authors still required written historical sources to anchor their results in real history. They even wrote that this result “needs to be placed in historical context.”1 They then recounted a “period of Roman occupation of North Africa that lasted until the early 5th century AD, and indeed tomb inscriptions and literary references suggest that trade relations continued even after that time.”1
So-called “molecular clock” data are always calibrated with secondary historical sources where possible, and the time-related results from this analysis are no exception. This is why molecular clocks, which were promising when first introduced, were soon recognized for their unreliability and are most often correlated with evolutionary “dates” given to fossils.3
The genetic analysis also discovered that all eight Jewish populations in the PLoS study contained three to five percent African DNA sequence patterns. This was “striking” because the individual Jewish populations were known, through secular historical records, to have been separated from each other for hundreds of years. African DNA was even found in modern descendants of Ashkenazi Jews, who have inhabited Northern Europe since the 1100s A.D.
The study authors said: “A parsimonious explanation for these observations is that they reflect a history in which many of the Jewish groups descend from a common ancestral population which was itself admixed with Africans, prior to the beginning of the Jewish diaspora that occurred in 8th to 6th century BC”.1
But unlike their other results, the authors did not correlate this explanation with historical records, being evidently content to let the reader speculate about possible associated events. Did they do so because those records are not secular but biblical? Was the Bible ignored because it is considered taboo as a subject of serious historical study?
Genesis records that Joseph, one of the 12 sons of Jacob (Israel), married an African from Egypt.4 Numbers chapter one records that Joseph's descendants, including those of both Ephraim and Manasseh, together outnumbered those of the other tribes.5 And elsewhere, Numbers tells that the proportion of land area that Joseph's descendants inherited was larger than other tribes. Together, these records show that the African DNA of Joseph's wife had a high likelihood of spreading through subsequent generations of Jews. And later relatives could also have married Africans.
In fact, a few generations after Joseph, Moses married a woman who was African. Numbers 12:1 states: “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.”
Though the PLoS study specifically looked for DNA similarities with peoples of sub-Saharan Africa, the fact that any Jewish/African marriages are specifically recounted in biblical records opens the possibility that sub-Saharan Africans would also have intermarried with Jews. The ancient Hebrews considered all of Africa's inhabitants as either Egyptian if they inhabited the Nile River region, or Ethiopian if they came from any place south of Egypt—including sub-Saharan Africa.
And perhaps others, during the time from roughly 1706 B.C. when the Israelites entered Egypt all the way until they were taken captive by Assyria in 721 B.C. and even later, also intermarried.6 In line with this date range, the genetic study provided a wide time range for African admixture with Jewish ancestors, “between 1,600–3,400 years ago.”1
When it comes to history, genetic analyses can provide clues at best, whereas ancient records provide more reliable information. This analysis of Jewish genes certainly corroborates what the Old Testament tells about the history of the Jewish nation, and this not surprising since “O LORD God, thou art that God, and thy words be true.”7

References
1. Moorjani, P. et al. 2011. The History of African Gene Flow into Southern Europeans, Levantines, and Jews. PLoS Genetics. 7 (4): e1001373.
2. More specifically, the team measured single nucleotide polymorphisms, which may be the result of random mutation or non-random cellular DNA alterations.
3. See, for example, Thomas, B. New Study Contradicts Flower Fossil Dates. ICR News. Posted on icr.org April 9, 2010, accessed May 25, 2011. And Thomas, B. Frozen Penguin DNA Casts Doubt on DNA-Based Dates. ICR News. Posted on icr.org November 25, 2009, accessed May 25, 2011.
4. Genesis 41:45.
5. Because these sons of Joseph were each blessed with “tribe” status on par with their uncles, their populations were counted separately. According to Numbers 1, Ephraim and Manasseh totaled 72,700 people at the time of the exodus from Egypt, and the next largest tribe was Zebulon, at 57,400. Also, each one inherited a separate land area within what is today known as Israel.
6. Dates based on Ussher's Chronology, a charted summary of which can be found at creation.com
7. 2 Samuel 7:28. "

-MapThe Most Common Languages in the World, from Language and Culture"estimate that there are about 5,000-6,000 different languages spoken in the world today. The imprecision in this estimate is largely due to the fact that some dialects are in the process of diverging and it is not clear that they have reached the stage of being separate languages. If two people find each other's speech unintelligible, they are usually thought to be speaking different languages rather than dialects.
There are about 200 languages that have a million or more native speakers. Mandarin Chinese click this icon to hear the preceding term pronounced is the most common, being spoken by around 874,000,000 people as a native language. English is a distant third with approximately 341,000,000 native speakers. "

"May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us,
Selah
2 that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations. " May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.
Selah
5 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you. -Psalm 67

Ten Night Countdown Begins For Global Day of Prayer
By Bill Bray
Special Correspondent, ASSIST News Service Thursday, May 13, 2010 " CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (ANS) -- Today (Thursday, May 13, 2010), Virginia prayer leaders here will begin 10 nights of prayer and fasting in solidarity with the Global Day of Prayer movement (GDOP). The “prayer push” leads up to a huge global prayer meeting planned for Pentecost Sunday, May 23.
Tens of millions of Christians in over 200 countries worldwide will join in the celebration. “We are praying and fasting day and night here in preparation with believers around the world,” says prayer and praise leader Jim Goodhart of the local Downtown Prayer Room and local USA National Day of Prayer team.
"I feel the windows of heaven are wide open right now and the Lord is manifesting himself to everyone who joins in this push to Pentecost,” says Jim Goodhart.
He and others in the group believe that the falling of the Holy Spirit upon the first followers of Christ on Pentecost – promised by the Lord Jesus – should not remain one of the most neglected holidays on the Biblical calendar of Christians in the United States.
“But not in the global south,” says another leader. "Indigenous church growth movements are exploding in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Plans are underway for many massive assemblies in stadiums and public meetings in open squares.”
In many countries there will be evangelistic Marches for Jesus, door to door outreaches to show practical love to neighbors and open air rallies. Some indigenous missions’ movements are using the day to launch “90 Days of Blessing” campaigns to bring “transformational blessing to their cities and communities.”
Pentecost is not only the birth of the church, but the beginning of Christian missions, when the Holy Spirit came with promised power to take the gospel message to “all nations” using every tongue.
For more information about GDOP in the USA, see www.gdopusa.com or for logistical support, go to Way Makers at www.waymakers.org
In Charlottesville, visit www.praydpr.com or contact the IHOP which has a growing Virginia State organization based in Richmond.
African Christians began the Global Day of Prayer (GDOP) in 2005 when 200 million Christians joined to “pray together but in many places” on every continent. Since then the movement has continued from Ascension Day to Pentecost, increasing in size each year. The 2010 GDOP marks five years of increasing prayer, praise, evangelism and service. Christians outside the USA should see www.globaldayofprayer.com for international plans. "

"Astro-Theology is the first, original, and therefore the oldest, and most respected story on Earth! It did not take ancient man very long to decide that in this world the single greatest enemy to be feared was the darkness of night, and all the unknown dangers that came with it. Simply stated, man's first enemy was darkness.
Understanding this one fact alone, people can readily see why the greatest and most trustworthy friend the human race could ever have was by far, heaven's greatest gift to the world ... that Glorious Rising Orb of Day: ...
THE SUN"

"...In a country which has never considered itself a land of immigration - calling foreigners "guest workers" - it's a dramatic transformation.
'Proud minorities'
The emerging star is Mesut Özil. Born in Germany to Turkish immigrant parents, he opted to play for the land of his birth rather than Turkey.
For Mehmet Matur, his performance and acceptance is a source of pride.
A Turk himself, he's now heavily involved in integration programmes for the German Football Association.
At his sports shop in a Berlin suburb, where many Turks live, he sees the changes.
"You see them flying German flags, which is new," says Matur.
"You have children coming into the store. Six months ago they wanted boots like Christiano Ronaldo. Today it is Özil."
He can't help smiling as he recounts this.
"There are players now like Kedera or Özil. They are idols for the youth and the German majority adores them as heroes," he says.
"It makes the people living here from ethnic minorities proud and they know they can reach the same position.
"That's also good for reducing prejudices. For society it's an opening."....
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com European: Germans of Germany

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Did you know?

If we could shrink the Earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look like this:

57 Asians
21 Europeans
-14 from the Western Hemisphere and
8 Africans
70 would be non-white
30 white
70 would be non-christian
30 christian
50% of the world's wealth would be in the hands of only 6 people
80 would live in sub-standard housing
only 1 would have a college education